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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30074004">exile</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/writing_everyday/pseuds/writing_everyday'>writing_everyday</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>folklore [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Glee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, mentions of cheating</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:14:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30074004</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/writing_everyday/pseuds/writing_everyday</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>AU: Kurt’s fiancé leaves him stranded and Blaine breaks up with his boyfriend. They meet.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel, Blaine Anderson/OC, Kurt Hummel/OC</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>folklore [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2138340</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>exile</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>If you catch my other Taylor reference, I'll give you a virtual cookie.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>I can see you standin', honey<br/>
With his arms around your body<br/>
Laughin' but the joke's not funny at all<br/>
And it took you five whole minutes<br/>
To pack us up and leave me with it<br/>
Holdin' all this love out here in the hall</em>
</p><p>There were plenty of boxes. Rachel and Santana had offered him his old bedroom in their loft but Kurt couldn’t see himself moving back in there. It felt too much like going backward. He needed to be on his own for a while. With his new Vogue salary, thanks to Isabelle’s promotion, Kurt could afford a modest apartment in the city on his own.</p><p>However, he did take his former roommates up on their offer to help him move. Together they emptied the apartment. Kurt threw out memories of his relationship with Danny. He didn’t need any reminders of what he lost. </p><p>Finding out that your supposed future husband is cheating on you is not something Kurt was prepared for. On top of that, Kurt discovered the cheating wasn’t a new development. In fact, his ex-fiancé had been unfaithful for the last three years of their relationship. </p><p>Kurt came home to a half-empty apartment one day. Not even twelve hours after confronting him about the weird texts had Danny moved himself out of Kurt’s life. </p><p>Now Kurt was staring at the locked door and handing off his key to his former landlord. </p><p>
  <em>I think I've seen this film before<br/>
And I didn't like the ending<br/>
You're not my homeland anymore<br/>
So what am I defendin' now?<br/>
You were my town<br/>
Now I'm in exile seein' you out<br/>
I think I've seen this film before</em>
</p><p>The last time Kurt went through a bad breakup was right after high school. His first year of college. Leaving his high school boyfriend of three years was the hardest decision. They tried the long-distance and couldn’t balance their time. Being in two different states just wasn’t going to work out. They both knew it but held on longer than they should of but they also knew their relationship was always going to end with two broken hearts.</p><p>To say Kurt was devastated was an understatement. His first love: gone. What he thought was his last love: gone. </p><p>Once again, Kurt Hummel was on his own. Single, living alone, and ready to focus his energy on his designs. But work was going to have to wait until the weekend was over. </p><p>He knew what came next but for now, all Kurt wanted was a beer. Tonight, he’d drink until he couldn’t feel the cracks in his heart. Tomorrow, he’d sleep it off and enjoy some of his favorite hangover foods. Monday, he’d get back to work. </p><p>Most people assumed Kurt wasn’t the type to drink beers but most people hadn’t met his dad. The two of them could argue over the better brand for hours. Kurt went down to his favorite bar and ordered one of his dad’s favorite beers. Even sent Burt a photo. </p><p>This upcoming week might be hell but Kurt was determined to not lose himself in his own misery. Not this time. </p><p>
  <em>I can see you starin', honey<br/>
Like he's just your understudy<br/>
Like you'd get your knuckles bloody for me<br/>
Second, third, and hundredth chances<br/>
Balancin' on breaking branches<br/>
Those eyes add insult to injury</em>
</p><p>When Blaine met Kurt that night he didn’t think he’d be running into his ex several months later. He didn’t think James would come begging at his doorstep for a second chance. Again. </p><p>Four months ago, Blaine explained exactly why he and James wouldn’t work long term. The first time he had taken James back. They had dated for another six months before Blaine figured it out. James wasn’t going to change or at least he wasn’t going to change for Blaine’s sake. With an unwillingness to not make compromises, Blaine knew he had to get out of this relationship. </p><p>Rather than waste time being unhappy in a relationship heading nowhere, Blaine cut it off. Apparently, James still couldn’t move on. </p><p>He delivered this speech in the doorway of Blaine’s apartment. Blaine was happy his roommate was gone for the weekend because he didn’t need another witness to this mess. Claims of “fighting for him” and “bettering himself these last few months” were meaningless. They may have worked on someone other than Blaine but he was too smart to buy any of it. Plus, he had Kurt. </p><p>Beautiful, wonderful Kurt, who left the kitchen to join Blaine at the door. He kissed his cheek and wrapped his strong arms around Blaine’s waist. Politely poisonous when he asked who was at the door.  </p><p>
  <em>I think I've seen this film before<br/>
And I didn't like the ending<br/>
I'm not your problem anymore<br/>
So who am I offending now?<br/>
You were my crown<br/>
Now I'm in exile seein' you out</em>
</p><p>Another week passed before James found Blaine in a coffee shop. He was waiting for two drinks because he had plans to meet Kurt during their shared lunch break. Once a week, they met up together for a midday pick-me-up. Kurt was the only person in the world who could make Blaine smile and laugh when he fell into his lowest points. </p><p>James wanted to know who that man was and why he had been in Blaine’s apartment last weekend. Leading to a rather uncomfortable conversation where Blaine explained how much Kurt meant to him. How Blaine had reconnected with his high school sweetheart. How happy he was to be with him. </p><p>There were so many words he didn’t want to share with James because he had yet to share them with Kurt. In no universe would Kurt be the second person to find out that Blaine was in love with him. </p><p>He had grand plans to tell him this weekend. </p><p>No matter how hard James pushed, Blaine wouldn’t reveal that. Not yet. If he saw his ex again, after Kurt already knew, then he’d share it. But for now, Blaine kept that information close to his heart. </p><p>He calmed James for the moment and he had a lovely boyfriend to meet for lunch. </p><p>
  <em>I think I've seen this film before<br/>
So I'm leavin' out the side door<br/>
So step right out<br/>
There is no amount<br/>
Of cryin' I can do for you<br/>
All this time<br/>
We always walked a very thin line</em>
</p><p>There was a brief period of time after Danny where Kurt felt unlovable. After all, both of his very serious relationships had ended. He blamed himself for the fallout. </p><p>With Blaine, he could’ve tried harder to work around his crazy schedule. With Danny, he should’ve seen the signs of him pulling away. Maybe then Danny wouldn’t have sought comfort elsewhere. Perhaps, Kurt could’ve prevented the affair. </p><p>Meeting Blaine that night in the bar had been a godsend. He was a voice of reason. Assuring Kurt that cheating, in this case, was solely the fault of the cheater. Danny should’ve been the one to come to Kurt with relationship issues if he felt Kurt was distant or too busy or whatever his reasoning would have been but because Danny didn’t do this there was simply nothing Kurt could’ve done to change his actions. </p><p>Blaine had been cheated on before too. He knew what Kurt was feeling and as they shared their stories Kurt didn’t feel invalidated in his emotions. Best of all, he didn’t feel alone. </p><p>He told Kurt all about James. How relieved he felt walking out of that relationship but how he also had a sneaking suspicion that James wasn’t out of his life for good just yet. </p><p>Kurt promised to be there for Blaine if or when James reappeared. If they were back to making promises to each other, Kurt knew Blaine Anderson was officially making a comeback into his life. </p><p>Despite his mixed emotions about everything else that had happened that day, this development didn’t bother him in the least. In fact, Kurt was excited to see where this would take him. </p><p>
  <em>You didn't even hear me out (you didn't even hear me out)<br/>
You never gave a warning sign (I gave so many signs)<br/>
All this time<br/>
I never learned to read your mind (never learned to read my mind)<br/>
I couldn't turn things around (you never turned things around)<br/>
'Cause you never gave a warning sign (I gave so many signs)<br/>
So many signs<br/>
So many signs (you didn't even see the signs)</em>
</p><p>Though Blaine did have one last confrontation with James after the coffee shop incident he hadn’t expected Kurt’s ex to pop up again. At this point, Blaine and Kurt had been dating (again) for just under a year. They were actually running last-minute errands before their joint trip to Lima. </p><p>Burt and Carole had happily invited them to stay at the Hummel’s house for the week while Blaine’s parents insisted the couple stay at least the weekend with them. So, once they got off their flight they were headed straight to the Anderson’s for an Anderson-Hummel family dinner. Blaine’s mom was so excited to finally get to host the Hummel family, Blaine was sure she’d be pulling out all the stops. Maybe even make her grandmother’s puto recipe.</p><p>The boys had split up their list of last-minute items hoping to divide and conquer their list quicker. When Blaine returned for shampoo and gel for himself, he found Kurt talking to a man in a cheap suit near the paper products. </p><p>“Hi sweetie,” Blaine said, placing his items in the cart. “Who’s this?” </p><p>Turns out, it was Danny. The cheating ex-fiance. </p><p>What did he want? Another chance. </p><p>Blaine found this encounter hilarious in the coming days. How could Danny assume Kurt was still single after all this time? Did he really think Kurt Hummel would spend ten months grieving their relationship? As if Kurt was just sitting by the phone waiting for Danny to call and ask for him back. </p><p>But in that moment, Blaine was jealous. His fists clenched at his sides, a permanent frown on his face, and a death stare directed at Danny. </p><p>
  <em>I think I've seen this film before<br/>
And I didn't like the ending<br/>
You're not my homeland anymore<br/>
So what am I defending now?<br/>
You were my town<br/>
Now I'm in exile seein' you out<br/>
I think I've seen this film before<br/>
So I'm leaving out the side door</em>
</p><p>Luckily, Kurt knew Blaine all too well and he knew Danny too. They were two powder kegs about to explode if he didn’t separate them right away. To put it lightly, Kurt let out all of his pent-up anger at Danny in one go. </p><p>“If I was the kind of person who believed everything happens for a reason, I’d thank you,” Kurt said, “breaking up with you or should I rephrase: you completely removing yourself from our relationship without an official breakup brought me back to Blaine. I wouldn't have been in that bar if it wasn’t for you.” </p><p>Kurt took one of Blaine’s fists and opened it up to squeeze his hand. </p><p>“Except, Danny, I don’t believe in that shit. As far as I’m concerned, you cheat on me, you lose me. I’ll never go back to a cheater. I’ll never go back to you. It’s a shame your little side piece didn't want to stick around but that’s a YOU problem, Danny. I’m not here to get your life back together for you. I’m not going to play mommy dearest for you again. I’m not going to help you put your big boy pants on. Only to watch you cheat again and leave me.” </p><p>Kurt was shocked that Danny was still standing in front of him. In the past, he hated confrontation. As evidenced by his leaving. Still, Kurt pushed onward. </p><p>“Mostly though, Danny, I’m never getting back together with you because I don’t need you. You don’t deserve me at my worst let alone at my best. You know who makes me better? Who gives me everything I could ever want in life, in love, in bed? Do you?” Kurt asked. “Blaine does. He always did. All those times when you half-listened to me talk about McKinley, you missed something huge. You didn’t even realize I’d never fully belonged to you because I had already met and loved Blaine. With him as part of my life, even just as a memory, I’d never love someone with my whole heart because he still had a piece of it. Now, he gets all of it. Forever.” </p><p>He paused for a breath. Processed that dumbstruck expression on Danny’s face. </p><p>Then, he said: “So, if you could kindly fuck off, we have something to do.” </p><p>With that, Blaine and Kurt took their cart and made their way to the register. Together.</p>
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